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We Need An Education System That Excites

Children
Andy Powell, CEO of independent education foundation Edge, sets out his vision for the
future of education.
The nation needs an education system that excites and stimulates children, providing them with the
learning they need - and deserve - to fulfill their potential. This means providing a curriculum of practical
and vocational learning alongside theoretical study.
This need for change has never been more pressing. It is not due to the fault of any individual, any school
or even any one political party but due to the simple fact the world has changed - and our education
system has not changed fast enough. Indeed, it is largely based on a system developed over a century ago;
a factory manufacturing model where children are placed on a learning conveyor belt, then sorted,
packaged and labelled according to their so-called intelligence.
However, in this day and age there is no excuse for such a top-down, one-size-fits-all education system
that does not enable all children to thrive in their own way. We must recognise that young people are
individuals with different talents and dreams. As such, not all children learn in the same way. We need to
move towards a system of mass customisation, based on a strong common core of essential skills and
knowledge, which allows young people to develop their own particular talents and aspirations.
We must support young people in discovering what they enjoy and are good at - and who they want to be
in life. And we must encourage and support teachers and schools in responding to these different needs.
Young people will learn if they see learning as important, meaningful and worthwhile.
A crucial issue for the recession
Revolution in education is a particularly crucial issue in the context of the current economic climate.
Young people leaving full-time education next summer will find themselves in the toughest recruitment
market in years. The current outdated education system is not making the best use of the most precious
natural resource this country possesses - its next generation.
The UK requires people with passion, know how, initiative, creativity, resilience and self knowledge;
people who can get on with others and who know when to listen and when to lead. These skills and
abilities cannot be gained in the classroom alone; they come from practical learning learning by doing
things for real, working with experts, and integrating theory with practice.
Since Edge first launched its call to action in April - inviting everyone from education professionals, MPs
and opinion formers to parents and young people to help us create a mass movement for change the
response from all areas has been extremely positive. Practical and vocational learning is no longer a
marginal topic, no longer the option for other peoples children.
Six Steps to Change

Edges Six Steps to Change Manifesto identifies how governments across the UK can reform the education
system to better meet the needs of all young people and employers.
The Six Steps to Change are:
1.

A broad curriculum up to age 14 with opportunities to develop life skills and experience a range of
future options. Life skills such as team work, problem solving and enterprise should be explicitly
taught and assessed through practical activities linked to academic subjects and vocational areas.
There should be a new emphasis on direct experience of future options, including visits to
workplaces, colleges and universities, and hearing at first hand from people, who have already
made career and learning choices.

2. SATS replaced by an individual profile of attainment, skills and aptitudes which would be used by
students, parents and teachers to choose a post 14 pathway. In order to make choices parents and
students need to understand a students strengths and aspirations. The profile built up over their
time in school would help students, their parents and teachers discuss the next steps.
3. At 14 all students, in addition to continuing a broad curriculum, including English, maths and
science, would be supported in choosing a pathway matched to their interest and abilities, each
with a different balance of theoretical and practical learning. For some the pathway will be largely
academic and theory-based; for many it will be a blend of theory and practice, connecting new
knowledge and skills with the wider world; and for some it will be centred on practical learning.
The emphasis will be on breadth and keeping options open for young people while allowing them
to pursue their interest in depth.
4. Students on practical and vocational courses would be taught in specialist facilities or specialist
institutions and by appropriately experienced staff. This will ensure students are motivated and
receive an excellent professional education. There will be many more specialist institutions, the
nature of which would be determined locally. Teachers of vocational subjects would be
appropriately experienced, trained and receive the same pay and conditions as those teaching
academic subjects.
5.

At 16, students would choose to specialise within their pathway, change to another pathway or
enter employment with training. For example students on the engineering pathway might
specialise in electrical engineering. Some students might choose to leave full time education and
start an apprenticeship.

6. Beyond 18, students would have the opportunity to study at degree level in a centre of vocational
excellence endorsed by employers. This would raise the status of vocational learning, and provide
clear progression routes, while improving the employability of the students.
All practical and vocational courses should reflect the demands of the modern workplace, be formally
endorsed by employers and evolve under their guidance as well as supported by current experts.
Students on such courses should spend at least ten per cent of their study in the workplace i.e. eight
weeks over two years. They would have a programme of study during this time and receive guidance and
support from a trained workplace mentor.

The Six Steps to Change Manifesto aims to eliminate the current academic bias and the corrosive divide
between academic and vocational learning, which views know how as inferior to know what. It outlines
a way to ensure there more high-quality options that combine theory and practice and are regarded by all
as credible alternatives to a high-class academic route.
Changes
Will these changes come about? I believe they will. Our current system has reached the point of
diminishing returns where we have tried most mechanisms; from more money, to targets with related
incentives and public shame, to new types of qualification, and a thousand and one new initiatives. It is
hard to imagine that we are suddenly going to transform education unless we go back to the basic
principle, which is that people learn if they enjoy it and can see its relevance.
We need a new approach, a new paradigm. This becomes very apparent when we compare ourselves with
other countries. The UK has some great strengths which we must not lose, particularly in terms of topend, high quality academic learning. But our greatest weakness is our ability to turn diversity into
hierarchy. Our system is largely based on the misguided belief that one form of intelligence is in some
way more important than (or better) than another.
Encouragingly, I think the necessary changes are already starting to happen. The signs of spring are all
about us:

The cross-party Skills Commission report, Inspiration and Aspiration recognises that a totally
new model of careers information, advice and guidance is needed for example, ensuring people
have access to websites where they can find out about different training routes and use forums to
discuss careers with people who have experienced them.

A high profile major new employer campaign to provide more meaningful, relevant and inspiring
experiences of the world of work for young people is being planned.

The growing interest in employability skills, the piloting of explicit teaching of positive
psychology and the emergence of schools and colleges which build learning around core skills and
capabilities, locking enterprise in the broadest sense into all aspects of learning. Examples range
from RSAs Open Minds and HTI Go for It schools, to enterprise Academies and colleges like
Sheffield City College.

The move against rigid SATs tests and related targets, and interest in a more balanced scorecard
of attainment.

The development of a major new learning pathway in the form of Diplomas, the success of Young
Apprenticeships and the rapid increase in take-up of more practical and vocational qualifications
within schools.

Totally new types of institutions with a commitment to more practical learning delivered in the
right facilities by appropriately experienced teachers, such as Madeley Academy (a Thomas
Telford School) and Studio Schools.

Emerging interest in a new and more practical pedagogy and the challenging of existing divisions
between school, FE and HE teacher training - a new Skills Commission enquiry is starting on this
issue.

The revival of apprenticeships.

Foundation degrees (where they are truly developed with employers), new initiatives between HE
and employers, including HE validation of work-based learning.

The seeds of change are sprouting - but they wont automatically grow. For them to flourish they need to
be recognised and nurtured. They need the support of the nation; from parents, to young people, MPs
and the business community.

The issue is not only about doing away with evaluation on the basis of bookish knowledge and memory
but what to do in its place?To my mind, the word "bookish" actually implies impractial and therefore we
should cover all aspects(big picture) of what maybe deemed practical education instead of just discussing
the curriculum.
Even mystics like Osho and Krishnamurthy have said that through Education alone, social transformation
is possible and both also stressed the need for education to fulfill its real purpose- help the child find his
vocation in life. I could not trace the link of the origninal article "As a Parent" by Wipro Chairman Azim
Premji but his words are worth repeating :"The primary purpose of a school is to guide the childs discovery of herself and her world and to identify
and mature the childs talents. Just as each seed contains the future tree, each child is born with infinite
potential. In the article he suggests that many teachers and parents try to be potters instead of Gardners
in moulding their childrens future. Imagine a school in which sees children as seeds to be nurtured-here
the teacher is a gardner who tries to bring out the potential already present in the child. This is very
different from the current view which sees the child as clay to be moulded where the teachers and parents
are potters deciding what shape the clay should take. There is an old Chinese saying , Give a seed to a
potter and you shall have a bonsai." In a nutshell, as a teacher and parent, be a gardner, not a potter..
The great Phislosopher Socrrates had said "Education is not the filling of a vessel but the kindling of a
flame". The word Education itself comes from the word "Educere" which means to bring out what is
already in and not blindly stuff in. The purpose of Education is to detect talent proactively. For this, it is
essential that education has to be based on application and intelligence( with open book exams wherever
necessary) instead of trying to test memory of knowledge. This is especially so in the era of internet
where everybody can have the knowledge but it is only one's intelligence with which one can distinguish
or differentiate oneself. Memory does not have that much significance since everything is there on the
net- its application that should matter and be tested. Since people tend to remember more of what they
happen to be interested in, memory can be a tool to know vocation instead of an end in iteself. Children
can be made aware of main memory techniques.
Einstein had said that Imagaination is more important than knowledge. Each person's imagaination is
diffferent and therefore he has to be guided correctly to chose his occupation in life where he is going to
spend a majority of waking hours. Not doing so would be disastrous as pointed out by so many of our

- Swami Vivekanand said "Education is the


manifestation of perfection already present in man"- Unless there is
spiritual stalwarts on this blog

perfection in education, that perfection cannot be drawn out.Real education should enable you to find out
what is uniquely you. That is what matters in practical life, not bookish knowledge.
Natural talent often manifests well without any formal coaching. I played lawn Tennis for several years but
was not satisfied with the backhand(bane of many racquet games). My younger brother got it right in the
first week itself without any coaching in such a brilliant manner that many players complimented him. My
wife is qualified in English hons but it is me, an MBA who has written articles and poems for magazines
and newspapers. Similarly, she does certain business work much better than I do. My father does much
better trading in shares than me despite not having any formal training in Technical analysis(graphs)
which I have. I once worked in a company where the rise of one person was much faster than four others
though all of them were from the same batch from the same institute. Talent is more important than the
tool(knowledge).
There was an article recently that corporate india was willing to take only 20% of the total pool because
people coming out of institutes were not practically talented. This is because functional,operative,
practical talent in the corporate world is different from analysis taught in MBA schools. Also, MBA is about
analysis but real life is about synthesis which is completely different. Even in the engineering context,
John Adair, in his book, effective innovation while giving the example of a trained artist who excelled as an
inventor concluded that Engineering is just a state of mind. You do not need a vaste amount of
knowledge All this clearly shows that process(imagination & thinking) is more important than
input(knowledge) especially memorized bookish knowledge. We should give equal if not more importance
to humotech in addition to looking for biotech and infotech.

Since not too much knowlege is required for talented people, short term courses should be availalable for
those who may have made a wrong choice of occupation.
Even in our Shastras it is given that the Sukshma(subjective-person) is more important than the
sthula(objective-knowledge ). What a person does with a particular knowledge is more important than
knolwedge per se and to detect that, personal attention has to be given- the kind of personal attention that
is given by a Tennis coach when he feeds 60 balls to his pupil one after another and monitors close
progress. Then it is possible to discvoer that person's Svadharma(purpose in life according to Shastras).
Each of the Pandavas being unique in their own way, one of the teachings of the Mahabharat is to
develop your unique quality. Even generally "Teaching the student teaches the teacher"- more so if the
teacher tries to study the student.

It would not be out of place to mention here that the initiator of Lateral thinking, Edward de Bono had
stated that thinking should be taught in schools because many intellectuals/knowledgeble people were
poor thinkers. Thinking also helps in detecting potential. In India's context, not making lateral thinking a
part of formal education is absurd because the greatest post independent rags to riches story ( Dhirubhai
Ambani) was because of lateral thinking:Other kinds of thinking can also be taught.
It should be mentioned here that countries like Russia have made chess compulsory to force students to

think logically. Sites like braingle.com insist that mind games also form a part of conginitive reserve and
should be a part of formal education. This is in the context of Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Concentration is
the secret of success in politics, in war - in all management of human affairs". Concentration can be
because of interest or one could say mental strength -both should be monitored.

Education must also impart good vocational and physical training and inculcate values to respect all
vocations/professions- that is something we have to learn from the United States where a janitor can talk
to a professor on one to one basis on the same table as an equal. The caste system which determines
occupations by birth is fundamentally incorrect. All that also causes inter-personal problems in practical
management.
In books like "Karma, Destiny and Career", it is given what can happen if you try to pursue an exalted
occupation(lawyer, doctor) when in reality your real vocation maybe relatively humble(carpenter,
plumber). In New york, a child psychologist became a taxi driver because driving was his passion.(This
may seem absurd but normally people seeking artistic satisfaction have such problems) Therefore, formal
education should give equal respect to all occupations and people should be respected for what they are
instead of snobishness of degrees and qualifications associated with certain exalted professions.
It would not be out of place to mention here that some people who have won nobel prixes(DNA,
Microchip) have admitted that not being too formally qualified was an advantage because they could get
creative ideas. This is in the context of "Knowledge is food for the ego". If you feel you already know too
much, you can't get creative ideas. Students should be aware of all this.(does not imply that one should
not be well qualified)
In the Unnited States, one of the ways of dealing with work-misfits is to ask them "What interest did you
have as a child?"Why not nip the problem in the bud- when the person is a child? I have come across
around 30 Americans who have written books on this subject. This American site summarises best what
the education system should be doing:-

J.krishnamurthy has even advocated small schools for the purpose of detecting the child's potential . It is
very important that each teacher should also be trained as a vocational psychologist and talent scout so
that the student does not choose the wrong profession and suffer for life- "The person who has found his
vocation is life is a blessed human being. Let him ask for no other blessedness"- Thomas Carlyle.
All this covers management of self(knowing oneself). Children should also be taught practical
management of money(people suffer because of lack of accounting knowledge) and practical psychology(
management of people). Nobody in practical life can escape management of money and people.
There still seems to be some hesitation on teachers part where computers are concerned- computers
have made possible what Shri Aurobindo said "The teacher should be a guide(not a sage on stage but a
guide on the side) and not an instructor and encourage the student to discover the answer for himself".
Children should know all main microsoft products thoroughlly word, excel, power point ,
access(programming insught).. Online education maybe convenient but some personal attention from
teacher is a must.

Another good thing krishnamurthy suggested was that children must be taught to appreciate nature as a
part of formal education from early childhood so that when they grow up, they have some reservations in
detroying mother earth if they happen to be in conflict.
In India, empahsis should also be given to team work and group dyanmics because Indians have a poor
reputation of working in teams. India has a competitive advantage vis-a-vis China (English has been
made compulsory there)currently but many Indians cannot speak and write English fluently despite
studying in English medium schools. Efforts should be made to ensure that Indians know colloquial
English since India cannot afford to lose that advantage.

There is a difference between being wise, being knowledgeable, being well informed and being intelligentsuch disctinction should be clearly made to the students so that some of their false and baseless fears
subside and there is a reduction in the number of board exam suicides which have gone up considerably
in the past five years. Students should also be trained to be wary of "Information pollution" since they
confuse being knowledgeable with intelligence which is why this is such a relevant question.
Last but not the least, people keep talking of instilling "values". Citing real life examples, it should be
explained that everything that is good(Actor Naseerudin Shah) is not commercially successful(Actor
Govinda) and vice-versa. There are other examples of the goddess of wealth(laxmi) and the goddess of
knowledge(Saraswati) not being directly proportional.(Jab Taqdeer maherbaan, tab gadha pahelwaan) So
judging success by money alone and blindly pursuing can be silly and counterproductive at times-better to
teach that through practical examples rather than give theoretical lecture on "values"
Practical knowledge is best-Osho specified that there is a difference between knowledge(Bookish) and
knowing(expereience). With role plays and group dynamics, the latter can be imparted in some disciplines
and not lleft to the vagaries of practical experience.
The twenty first century is expected to be stressful and therefore yoga and meditation should also be
taught properly in schools. Physical fitness was stressed by Swami Vivekanand and we have a lot to learn
from the western world just the way they learn yoga from us.
Unfourtnately, Education has become a business and nobody is bothered about the real purpose of
education and one ends up paying more in donation and not getting any real education. Its a loss both
ways like "Heads I win, Tails you lose". Whether it is education or anything else, unless there is a
continous and consistent monitering mechanism, nobody shall be accountable and nothing shall have
lasting success.
This may seem an exaggerated answer but I am trying to answer the word "bookish" and trying to give a
practical alternative in totality both from readings and practical experience(without that one cannot relate
with what one reads) from diverse perspectives. Many examples(my own family disbelived without them)
are given to substantiate views with conviction since I am not an expert on education.

Education is an important activity in society, it gives an opportunity to man to understand the world
around him and his place in it In ancient times man was completely at the mercy of nature which was
a complete mystery to him.
The dark forces of nature were beyond the comprehension of man and to console himself he had to
depend upon the existence of supernatural powers and this led to the growth of religion and
superstition.
The invention of tools, domestication of animals and growth of agriculture led to organization of
society and along with this, developed social sciences.
Thus, in education we combine the study of natural laws with the laws governing the development of
society- Knowledge and understanding come to us through the study of natural sciences (chemistry,
physics, biology, etc.) and the social sciences (history, political science, etc.).
The acquisition, interlinking and the transmission of this knowledge and understanding is the primary
function of education.
Ideally speaking, it is through education that members of society, particularly the youth, come to
understand the working of society. Education should enable the youth to improve the working of the
society.
Seen in this light, the purpose of education is not just to help students acquire degree and obtain
jobs. If the society is not organized properly, jobs become difficult to acquire, degrees lose their
meaning and education becomes a national waste as it is happening in many countries in the world
today.
Education, properly speaking, should develop a spirit of inquiry and rational thinking in the youth so
as to enable them to understand the society and change it wherever it is found lacking.
Ever since India attained Independence in 1947, we have been following, for inexplicable reasons,
Lord Macaulays system of education. This system has since lost its relevance to the changed socioeconomic scenario in the country.
As is well known, Lord Macaulay was an ardent champion of the British Raj. Therefore, it was natural
for him to devise an educational system for India which would not foster real awareness and
education.
It aimed at producing loyal, committed babes to eater to the clerical needs of the British colonial
Government of India.

But it was essential for the Indian administrators to change this educational system. A different
system more suited to the requirements of an independent progressive India has to be evolved.
From time to time, seminars or symposia were held to discuss the question of educational reforms
and suggest an ideal educational system. However, nothing much could be achieved in this behalf.
Syllabi continued to be theoretical in nature, and irrelevant to the socio-cultural and economic
contexts. Teaching methods and system of examination continued to be obsolete.
The result was that our educational institutions and universities, Instead of being citadels of learning
and enlightenment, became dens of unrest and frustration.
Our students became irresponsible and directionless mob, out to destroy the very fabric of society.
Instead of contributing to the progress of the nation, they became, to a large extent, a burden on the
nations economy and society.
The first policy document on education was adopted in 1968, by the Government after
Independence.
The National Education Policy, 1968 aimed to promote national progress, a sense of common
citizenship and culture, and to strengthen national integration.
It called for radical reconstruction of the educational system and for greater attention to science and
technology, the cultivation of moral values and closer relation between education and the life of the
people.
However, even the Government admits that the general formulations incorporated in the 1968 policy
did not get translated into a detailed strategy of implementation.
Some achievements since 1968 listed by the Government are: (a) acceptance of a common
structure of education throughout the country and the introduction of the 10 plus 2 plus 3 system by
most States; (b) laying down of common system of studies for boys and girls; (c) incorporation of
science and mathematics as compulsory subjects; (d) restructuring of the courses at under-graduate
level; (e) setting up of centres of advanced studies for post-graduate education and research.
A new draft National Policy on Education was approved by Parliament (n May 1986. The
Programme of Action to implement the new policy was adopted by the Government in August 1986.
The new education policy is broadly based on a document called A challenge of education a
perspective laid by the then Education Minister in Parliament on 20 August 1985.

Education in India, says the new education policy document, stands at cross-roads today. Neither
normal expansion nor the existing pace and nature of improvement can meet the needs of the
situation.
The catalytic action of education in the complex and dynamic process of our country needs to be
planned meticulouslyand executed with great sensitivity life in the coming decades, it points out, is
likely to bring new tensions together with unprecedented opportunities.
To enable the people to benefit in the new environment will require new designs of human resource
development. The coming generations should have the ability to internalize new ideas constantly
and creatively.
They have to be imbued with a strong commitment to human values and social justice. All these call
for better education, stresses the document.
The new Education Policy, 1936 calls for a National System of Education in which all students,
irrespective of caste, creed, location or sex, should have access to education of a comparable
quality.
The system will be based on a national curricular framework which contains a common core along
with other components that are flexible. In higher education, technical education in particular, steps
will be taken to facilitate inter regional mobility by providing equal access to every Indian of requisite
merit, regardless of his origins.
The policy gives importance to removal of womens illiteracy and obstacles inhibiting their access to,
and retention in, elementary education.
Major emphasis will be laid on womens participation in vocational, technical and professional
education at different levels.
The central focus of the policy in the educational development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in
their equalization with the non-SC and ST population at all stages and levels of education, in all
areas and in all the four dimensions rural male, rural female, urban male and urban female.
The policy also aims to integrate the physically and mentally handicapped with the general
community as equal partners, to prepare them for normal growth and to enable them to face life with
courage and confidence.
The policy outlines a vast programme of adult and continuing education through establishing centers
of continuing education in rural and urban areas; post-secondary education institution; wider
promotion of books, etc., radio, television and films; distance learning programmes; need and
interest based vocational training programmes, etc.

The new thrust in elementary education emphasizes two aspects; (1) universal enrolment and
universal retention of children up to 14 years of age; and (2) a substantial improvement in the quality
of education.
The policy pledges to provide essential facilities in primary schools, including at least two reasonable
large rooms usable in all weathers, and necessary toys, blackboards, maps, charts and other
learning material.
At least two teachers, one of them a woman, should be there in every school, the number increasing
to one teacher per class as early as possible. To this end, the Operation Blackboard has been
launched all over the country to improve primary schools.
The policy also introduces a non-formal form of education for school dropouts, for children from
habitations without schools, working children and girls who cannot attend whole day school.
In order to provide good quality modern education to the talented children predominantly from the
rural areas, the government launched in 1985-86 a scheme to establish Navodaya Vidyaiaya on an
average one in each district.
These vidyalayas are fully residential and coeducational and provide education in the streams of
Humanities, Commerce, Science and Vocational up to +2 levels and are affiliated to CBSE. There
are at present 359 sanctioned Vidyalayas in the country operating in 30 State/ UTs.
The National policy on Education (NPE), 1986 accorded high priority to vocationalisaiion of
education at the secondary stage.
The NPE as revised in 1992 set the target of achieving diversion of 10 percent of the students at the
+2 level to the vocational stream by 1995 and 25 percent by 2000 AD. A Joint Council for Vocational
Education (JCVE) was set up in April 1990 for policy formulation and coordination at the national
level.
In the field of higher education, provision will be made for minimum facilities and admission into
colleges and universities and will be regulated according to capacity.
Courses and programmes will be redesigned and the present affiliation system will be replaced by a
freer and more creative association of universities and colleges. Research will get more support.
The Open University system has been initiated to augment opportunities for higher education. The
Indira Gandhi National Open University established in 1985 will be strengthened.
The policy provides for declining degrees from jots for which university degree need not be a
necessary qualification.

Its implementation will lead to a refashioning of job-specific courses and afford greater justice to
those candidates who, despite being equipped for a given job, are unable to get it because of an
unnecessary preference for graduates, the document explains.
In the area of Technical and Management Education the policy maintains that reorganization should
take into account the anticipated scenario by the turn of the century, with specific reference to the
like changes in the economy, social environment, production and management processes, the rapid
expansion of knowledge and the great advances in science and technology.
Step will be taken to make technical and management education cost-effective. The Computer
Literacy and Studies in Schools has been made a centrally-sponsored scheme from 1993-94.
The curricula and processes of education will be enriched by cultural content in as many ways as
possible. Children will be enabled to develop sensitivity to beauty, harmony and refinement.
Linkages will be established between the university system and institutions of higher learning in art,
archaeology, oriental studies, etc.
As regards languages, the language policy of the Education policy of 1968 will be implemented more
energetically and purposefully the document says. The new policy also promises to make efforts to
secure easy accessibility to books for all segment of the population.
The policy envisages reorganization of the methods of recruiting teachers to ensure merit, objectivity
and conformity with spatial and functional requirement. The new programmes of teacher-education
will emphasize continuing education.
District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) will be set it to organize pre- service and in
service courses for elementary school teachers and for the personnel working in non-formal and
adult education.
Selected Secondary Teacher Training Colleges will be upgraded to complement the work of the
State Council of Education Research and Training.
To give the policy a practical shape, lot of funds would be required. The policy says that resources
will be raised by mobilizing donations, asking the beneficiary communities to maintain school
buildings and supplies of some consumables, raising fees at higher levels, and by effecting saving
by efficient use of facilities.
Institutions involved in research and development of technical and scientific manpower should also
mobilize funds by leaving cuss or charge on the user agencies, including Government departments
and entrepreneurs.

The Government and the community in general will find funds for programmes: universalisation of
elementary education liquidating illiteracy, etc.
The Government stagy to make the new system work consists of (a) better legal to, and the g-eater
accountability of, teacher; (b) provision of improved students services, and insistence on
observance of acceptable norms of behaviour; (c) provision of threshold facilities to institutions; and
(d) creation of a system of performance appraisals of institutions according to standards and norms
set at the National or state levels.
The new policy has been criticized on the grounds that
(i) The new thrust in the field of universalisation of education is non-formal education. Non formal
education, educationist point out, can never be equivalent to regular schooling. This will create a
dual education system.
(ii) Navodaya Schools will create further disparities.
(iii) The new policy suffers from an elitist bias as it also promotes privatization of education. As a
result, one who is able to pay more will get better education as compared to a common person.
(iv) Education is sought to be commercialized Reeducation of subsidies will mean that students will
have to finance their own education.

Thai Education System Needs Reformation


Education system is important all over the world. It concerns the future of a country by
educating children who will become a countrys future. The issue of whether Thailand should
revise its educational system has been a very big topic recently. It is an important issue because
what we think is wrong. We think that Thai education system is already good, but in fact, it isnt.
Thai education system should be reformed. This essay will be mentioning about the problems
that Thai education system are facing, which are the lack of teacher supply, social norms, and
wrong learning attitude.
The lack of teacher supply is one of the major problems in Thai education system. To be a
good and effective teacher isnt easy. It needs dedication, passion, and determination. Teachers
should be the models of thinking outside the box. But, Thai teachers can never be these
models. This failure is due to the fact that real training has never taken place. All of the trainings
train all of the Thai teachers to think inside the box and stick to what they have learned. They
dont have the ability to try new things or announce new ideas. Furthermore, excluding
international schools, Thai teachers have three primary complaints: first, the salaries are
insufficient to meet their basic needs; second, they are overworked due to excessive
administrative duties and have little time to prepare classroom activities; and third, classroom
sizes are so large that it is impossible to conduct the teaching activities. Due to these three
factors, more young teachers are quitting and fewer new teachers are entering the workforce.

Secondly, Thai concept of Kreng Jai, which has to do with obligation and respect can
impact on students critical thinking abilities. The social norm of respecting elders affects the
system greatly. Teachers in Thailand grow accustomed to the respect and high status accorded
them by students and the society
Education System Boon or Bane
The education today is becoming a blessing or a curse is an open ended question being raised
these days. The whole concept of education today is far apart from what it was initially devised
to be.
Today, one of our main focus in our lives is to get a good education and have a sound career to
lead a happy and content life. And, undoubtedly, todays education system caters to our needs
of education and career very well. But, where is the happiness and satisfaction?
Right from the childhood, it is fed into the minds of tiny tots that the only thing that they should
know is that they are going to be a doctor, engineer, IAS and so on. Since beginning, they are
pressurised to outperform others of their age. Once kids become old enough to enter a school,
the foul play starts. They need to pass a number of tests even to get admission in nursery
standard, because they are supposed to be in the best school. As soon as, he is admitted to a
school, he comes under the scanner and is continuously evaluated on the basis of one
parameter or the other. All that matters is your marks, your grade.Every parent wants to see
their child at the top position. And automatically, others are receded to lower positions and
suppressed. The child which is usually a stress buster and a source of happiness for everyone
else in the home and surroundings, himself becomes tensed.
Even when the school is over, one ought to be in the best college. After that best college, best
job offer matters. Then, again the same vicious circle of competing, excelling starts in that job
surroundings to be one of the highest paid employee. Now, the evil one behind the curtains is,
none other than, MONEY. The education today is more focused at earning, and not learning.
The sole aim is information, not knowledge. Instead of broadening ones mindset, it is narrowing
down ones perspective towards things. The power to withstand others is reducing and thus,
splitting apart the social

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